Production of benzene sulfonic acid and alkali benzene sulfonate.



- U TE STATES JONAS WQAYLSWOETH, DEOEASED, LATE OE EAST OEANGE, NEW JERSEY, Dr

ADELAIDE M.' AYLSWOR'IH, OE AST-ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AND SAVINGS INVESTMENT AND EUST COMPANY OE EAST ORANGE, ExEcUToEs.

PRODUCTION OF BENZENE SULFONIC ACID AND ALKALI IBENZENE SULFONA'I'E.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Mar. as, role.

No Drawing. Original application filed January 24, 1916, Serial 'No. 73,826. Dividedand this application filed January 28, 1917. Serial It'd-143,917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, A ELAIDE M. Arne- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, and SAVINGS IN- v sTMENT AND TRUST COMPANY or EA T ORANGE, a corporationof'New Jersey, executors of the last will and testament of JONAS W. zen of the United States, residlng at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, apply 'as such executors for Letters Patent for certain new and useful Improvements in the Production of Benzene Sulfonic Acid and Alkali Benzene Sulfonate invented by said JONAS W. AYLS- WORTH, deceased, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprises improved processes for' producing benzene sulfonic acid and for. producing therefrom alkali benzene sulfonate. The objects of the. invention are to produce such substances in an economical and efiicient manner. The present, applicationis a division of an application Serlal No. 73,826, production of phenol and othersubstances, filed January 24.,

' 1916, by the said Jonas W. Aylsworth.

The said application described processes for producing phenol synthetically from benzene and n. connection therewith de scribed a process for producing benzene sulfonic acid as an intermediate product. In revious processes for producin benzene sul onate of an alkali,'there has been considerable waste of acids and alkali used in such production, and the alkali benzene sulfonate has been prepared in a pure dry, state to enable it to be fused with a large excess of caustic alkali, in order to produce sodium or potassium phenoxid, and the operation of thus preparing the compound in thepure dry state has been an expensive one." Bythe present invention,'waste of acid in preparing the benzene sulfonic acid is largely eliminated and the benzene sulfonic acid when produced is converted'into its sodium" 'salt by dissolving the acid in water and adding thereto an alkali solution the alkali being recovered from the succeeding opera- AYLsWoETH, deceased, late a 'citi- Inthe process described, an excess of benzene with concentrated sulfuric acid is heated at progressively increasing temperatures n a closed apparatus. This may be of cast or wrought iron made strong enough to two hours, 80 C. during the. Second two.

hours, 90 C. during thethird two hours,

100 C. during the fourth two hours and.

120 C. during the ninth and tenth hours.

The mass is then allowed to coolbelow 7 0 C. and sulfuric anhydrid is "slowly added While stirring, the amount being sufiicient to convert the-water in the mass to sulfuric acid, The water is formed by thereaction between sulfuric acid andv benzene, and

limits the reaction by diluting the sulfuric acid to a point where it is no longer effective. After thus strengthening the sulfuric acid, the reaction between the latter and the benzene is continued in the closed vessel by heating for several hours additional at a temperature from the normal boiling oint of benzene to 120 C. The addition 0 sulfuric anhydrid and subsequent heating may be repeated if necessary, and the percentage of free sulfuric acid at the end of the operation will bevery small. It-is desirable to conduct the heating last mentioned at a temperature above the normal boiling point of benzene, for the reason that the sulfuric acid, weakened b v the water of reaction, will combine wit much more benzene at such temperatures than is the case when the temperature is at or below that of boiling benzene. B the usual method of forming benzene sul onic acid in which sulfuric acid is used, the percentage of free acid at the end of the operation is very large, and when sulfuric anhydrid or acid containing S0 is used to react initially with the benzene, a

produced, it is dissolved in water in a lead loo lined tank and hydrid while stirring, in amount sufficient.

to convert the water'in the mass to sulfuric acid, and again heating the mass progressively, in a closed vessel to a temperature above the normal-boiling point of benzene,-

to form benzene sulfonic acid, substantially I as set forth.

2.- In the manufacture of benzene sulfonic acid, the steps of heating an excess ofv benzene with'sulfuric acid, in a closed apparatus, at progressively increasin tures, the temperature being first maintained at approximately C., and brought to approximatel C. after a number: of hours, then coo in the mass to below 70 C and adding sul uric anhydrid while stirring, in amount suflicient to convert the water in the mass to sulfuric acid, and continuing the reaction between the sulfuric this 20th temperaacid and the benzene in the closed vessel, substantially as set forth.

3. In the manufacture of benzene sulfonic acid, thesteps of heating an excess of benzene with sulfuric acid, in a closed apparatus, at progressivelyincreasing temperatures, for several hours, then cooling the mass below 70 0., adding sulfuric anhydrid in amount suflicient to convert the water of reaction to sulfuric acid, and continuing the reaction by heating for several hours at a temperature between the normal boiling point of benzene and 120 0., and repeating the addition of sulfuric anhydrid and subsequent heating, if necessary; substantially asset forth. V I

,This. specification signed and witnessed day of January, 1917.

ADELAIDE M. AYLSWORTH, I I SAVINGS INVESTMENT & TRUST C0.

OFEAST ORANGE, E" m of Jonas W. Aylsworth, deceased. DAVID BRIGHA President.

Witness: HARRY H. TH As, Secreta I Witness as to" Adelaide M. 'Aylsworth STANLEY L. GEDNEY, Jr. 

